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THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTEA GENTLEMAN, Juke 111, 1860. 
winters. It is a profuse bloomer, and the flowers are of a 
beautiful bright rose colour. It received a Label of Commenda¬ 
tion. Rhododendron Athena , a large truss, with large, ex¬ 
panding, white flowers, of fine substance, and with a violet 
tinge on the edges of the segments ; the upper segments thickly 
spotted witli ochreous spots. This, also, received a Label of 
Commendation. The same gentleman also exhibited the follow¬ 
ing :—A species of Melastoma, with racemes of insignificant 
white flowers, was considered to be unworthy of cultivation. 
Cyathea Smithii, a fine tree Fern, newly introduced from New 
Zealand, received a first-class certificate, as did also Cyathea 
Cunninyhami. Both of these are beautiful tree Ferns, and will 
succeed in an ordinary greenhouse or conservatory. 
Messrs. Carter and Co., of Ilolborn, sent cut flowers of two 
varieties of Double Columbines. One of which was of a dark 
purple colour, and the other carnation striped. The latter is 
very pretty. 
Mr. Cutbusli, of Higbgatc, sent a Begonia; and Mr. Catt, of 
Welwyn, a Scarlet-flowered Dwarf Tropasolum , both of which 
were requested to be brought forward at a subsequent Meeting. 
This dwarf Tropajolum was supposed to he very similar to one 
called Brilliant. But there appear to be two Tropmolums Bril¬ 
liant. One a variety of T. Lobbianum and the other of T. magus. 
It was to the latter that Mr. Catt’s variety was considered alike. 
Mr. Daniels, gardener to C. E. liuok Keene, Esq., sent 
flowers of Bougainvillcea spectabilis; and Mr. Baines, gardener 
to II. Michels, Esq., of Sunimerfield, Manchester, flowers of 
Dendrobium Falconeri , to both of which Special Certificates were 
awarded. 
Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, of Wellington Road, sent a 
plant of Hydrangea cyanea, having a pale rose calyx, blue flowers, 
and woolly leaves ; it is in the way of II. Japonica. Gesnera 
gloxiniaflora, a free-blooming plant, with large, bright red 
flowers. 
LEEDS HORTICULTURAL AND ELORAL FETE. 
This, on the 29th and 30th of May, was got up chiefly by Mr. 
T. D. Appleby, the Bon of our contributor. By his exertions, 
assisted by a committee of gentlemen, the Show was managed 
very creditably. 
The Exhibition wa3 held in two spacious marquees, placed in 
the grounds of the picturesque ruins of Kirkstall Abbey. A more 
appropriate situation for such an exhibition is not to be found in 
Britain. 
About £120 were offered in prizes ; and several eminent nur¬ 
serymen, including Mr. Cole, of Manchester, the once great 
exhibitor from Hartford, in Kent, and Mr. Edwards, of York, 
competed at the Exhibition ; as did also many of the gardeners 
to the local gentry. 
Mr. Coles’ plants, as might be expected, were unique specimens 
of horticultural skill; and Mr. Edwards’s Geraniums were well 
grown and beautifully bloomed. Mr. Eastwood’s Geraniums 
were also beautiful specimens for a maiden exhibitor, showing 
that the examples of those charming plants exhibited at the same 
place by Mr. C. Turner last year had been of service to the local 
growers. Mr. Eastwood’s plants ran Mr. Edwards a close race, 
they were such handsomely formed plants and so well bloomed. 
Had the Show been a week later, it is very doubtful which of 
them would have obtained the first place. 
In giving a report of a floral fete, we opine that the names of 
the most remarkable plants will be useful to those persons forming 
a collection, enabling them to select and order from the dealers 
such plants as they have convenience or a desire to grow. 
Mr. Cole, of Manchester, was the largest contributor. We 
will go through his collection first. Theophrastia imperialis .— 
It has long, oval, light green leaves, three feet in length and nine 
inches in breadth. This is a truly noble exotic tree. Ilippomane 
spinosa. —This may be fairly named the Thistle tree. It has long 
narrow leaves, edged with most formidable-looking spines. Ficus 
Leopoldi (King Leopolds Fig Tree).—Related to the well-known 
India-rubber tree, only it has much larger leaves. Sansaviera 
Jauanica. —This plant has no stem, each leaf springs from a 
rhizome, or rootstock, close to the soil. Many of the leaves were 
fully five feet long ; they are beautifully barred with silvery white 
on a green ground. Croton august ifolium. —A beautiful and 
elegantly drooping tree, with long narrow leaves striped with 
gold. Aphelexis macrantha purpurea. —Four feet high, three 
feet through. An everlasting flower, and a very fine specimen. 
Leschenaultia biloba nana. —This plant bears a true blue-coloured 
flower. It was a good well-bloomed specimen. Folygala cor • 
data. —Three feet high and two feet through. A good plant, 
well grown. Ixora coccinea. —An old inhabitant of our stoves. 
This specimen had eleven heads of scarlet flowers. Pteris argyreea. 
—A silvered Fern. This new and charming Fern has a broad 
band of silver in the centre of each leaflet. 
Mr. Dymont, gardener to W. G'. Joy, Esq., Headingly, sent 
Caladium Chantinii. —Leaves heart-shaped, a foot long and nine 
inches broad ; the centre strongly coloured with crimson, shaded 
to the margin with green, and blotched with spots of white. 
C. argyrites. —A real gem of a dwarf habit. Leaves arrow-head¬ 
shaped, and beautifully spotted with various sized blotches of 
silvery white. Aphelandra Leopoldi. —A stove plant, well grown. 
Leaves light green, with every vein of a pure silver colour. 
Gesnera. —A seedling allied to Cooper'd, but with much larger 
flowers and ^stronger stems. Tlio plant had eleven spikes, and 
very many flowers on each spike of a bright scarlet colour. It is 
a real acquisition. 
Mr. Hamblin, gardener to W. Smith, Esq., Roundhay. He 
had a fine specimen of the new Begonia Marshallii —a plant with 
oblique-oval leaves, marked in the middle w ith a broad silvered 
band on an olive-green ground, Caladium marmoratum. —This 
plant has footstalks three feet long, bearing on the top leaves 
heart-shaped, a foot long and six inches broad, spotted with light 
green and white. 
Ferns.—M r. Eastwood, gardener to F. Tetley, Esq., Heading- 
ley, exhibited Cheilanthes elegans, Cheilantlies Hllisiana, and 
Nolhochlcena tomentosa. These were nice equal-sized plants, the 
foliage beautifully divided. Nothing can exceed these three 
species in beauty. 
Azaleas. —Mr. Cole’s collection of six, contained Fxtrania, 
a bright deep rose colour; Vesta, a pure white, of good form ; 
Juliana, orange scarlet, a well-formed flower ; Fula/ie Van Geert, 
good-formed flowers, with a deep blotch in the centre of the 
upper petals. 
Pelargoniums. —Mr. G. Edwards’s collection obtained the 
first prize. "Well-grown plants, smaller than the competing col¬ 
lection, but better bloomed. The following were the best in 
quality :— Roi de Feu, a dazzling scarlet; Madame Place, white, 
delicately pencilled and blotched with maroon; Louise Miellez, 
a deep-coloured French variety; Una, a clear pure white with 
deep blotch ; Magnet, a deep scarlet ground, with maroon blotch. 
Mr. Eastwood’s collection of Fancy Yarieties, first prize. Large, 
well-bloomed plants. The best were— Evening Star, a dark 
variety; Reine de Frangais, a light ditto ; Queen of Roses, a 
1 good rose. 
THE FLORAL HALL. 
Although the Floral Hall that has been erected adjoining the 
Italian Opera in Covent Garden cannot be regarded as an insti¬ 
tution of horticulture, aud although arrangements have not yet 
been made for its becoming the great floral mart it was originally 
intended to be, the display of flowers which was exhibited there 
last week was of such a nature as to call for an especial notice from 
us. It is not that the Exhibition was superior, or even equal by a 
; loug way, to those we are accustomed to see in the usual horticul¬ 
tural places that we are induced to notice it; but because of the ex¬ 
traordinary effect which this Exhibition has shown to be possible 
with materials of the commonest description. Were it for no other 
purpose than to serve as a study for those who are engaged in 
floral decorations, we could wish that such a place as this would 
become permanent. 
The Floral Hall is an immense place, built in the Crystal Palace 
style of iron and glass, and is contiguous to the Italian Opera. 
It is of oblong shape, 222 feet long and 75 feet wide ; the roof is 
vaulted, 55 feet high, and supported by ten cast-irou columns, 
the west end being surmounted by a capacious dome 105 feet 
high. In the centre of this great parallelogram was placed an 
enormous conical stage 30 feet high, and covered with Calceo¬ 
laria aurea jloribunda and Geranium Alma arranged in longi¬ 
tudinal bands, which produced a very pleasing effect. From 
either side of the base of this cone issued two low stages, each 
fifty feet long, running east and west, the former furnished 
by Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, Wellington Road, with 
fine specimens of Palms, Caladiums, Altingias, Rhopalns, 
Begonias, Stadmnnnias, and other omamental-foliagcd plants; 
the latter by Messrs. Arthur Henderson & Co. with standard 
Bays and Myrtles, Altinghis, Dacrydiuins, Caladiums, Nepal 
Rhododendrons, Cyanophyllums, Ac. At the extreme cast end 
rose an almost perpendicular stage 50 feet high, and occupying 
